chickens...was just wondering how hard it is to look after them?? what would i need what do i feed?? and would i need to secure my garden or would they stay in my garden and not try to escape? what kind of home would you keep them in?? and ofcorse what kind of chicken should i get...what is an ISA brown hen? all info pics appreciated xx

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anyone??xx

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Hi Staceydawlz, I'm sure there's lots of people that know about them but I'd personally ask Bigdaddy not sure if you want to pm him or leave a message on his page.

Didn't want to read and run

Em
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PS don't mean to double post but I've popped a note on his board with a link to your thread Sorry if that seems a bit rude - just didn't want it to get overlooked for you

Em
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They are fairly easy to look after...if you don't want them to escape you will need to clip one of their wings...we just used a good pair of scissors and it worked fine... we feed ours layers pellets and for a treat they get mixed corn...keep a look out in your local paper for POL Pullets, we have in the past had EX battery hens also...which have been good layers..the ISA browns we have a few...very good layers x..have a look on ebay for a hen house...or even better if you had a freecycle in your area...if you let them roam in your garden they will eat everything, so it perhaps is better to have the fenced in xx

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They are very and extremely easy to keep!!
All you need is space and food and clean water! They'll eat anything from seeds and grains to insects and small lizards. ( mine Chase mice).
I personally won't clip my chickens.. Accidents happen around my home such as dogs and cats... If clipped my chickens they would definitely end up food to dogs or cats, but if you want you can clip one wing with scissors .

for the beginner i would go for some thing easy to look after
ex batterys or warrens or some of the hybrids are easy to care for
they are the large fowl birds

if you want some thing smaller then look at bantams

there are so many out there but real nice freindly ones are slikes
they are good for kids to help with

chickens eat anything and everything

if you get ex battery hen they will have to be on on a ex bat crumb to start with

most people use layers pellets or layers mash as the main feed for there fowl

also a scattering of mixed corn so they can scratch around is also good

they like grass and green
hanging a cabbage or simler for them to peck at is good

i boil up all the veg peelings etc and them mash it up with the layers mash it makes like a crumble they have that everyday

also live meal worm is good and full of protine
dont give it them every day its like giveing kids sweets they will want them all the time

make sure they have freash water every day

also make sure they have a dry area in the run or your garden to dust bath you cna put dirt sand anything like that in there

they will more than likely dig there own but always best to offer them one

as for the house most things can be converted to house hens

as long as they have a good strong perch to roost and a couple of nest boxs to lay in (all though they may lay where they feel like )
you should be ok make sure there is venterlation and make sure its secure form predetors

remember its not the cold that can kill a bird its drafts that kill

also they will need worming like dogs and cats

and they can get red mite
so every time thety are clean out put red mite powder and or spray in the house even if you dont have any best to keep them at bay

as for bedding every one is differnt

i use shavings on the floor and straw in the nest boxs

some people use sand on teh floor of the house but if you do make sure that the house and run is always dry as it can get messy

other people use shredded paper in the nest boxs


make sure if you keep them in a run its fox and predertor proof
they will dig under if they can

so still best to lock the birds away on a night

and take any food out on a night as mice and rats will find it a easy meal

if you need to no anything else please ask will do my best to answer

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wow thanks...when u say anything can be turned ito a chicken house...whats anything and how would u do it to prevent a draft?

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basicly a rabbit hutch can be turned in to a house by putting a perch in and putting in a couple of nest boxs

dont let the words nest boxs scare you lol

some people use a noram shed for the chickens to sleep in they put a few strong branchs in for the to perch on and if the chickens can fit they will use the cat litter trays with the hood on them as nest boxs and with them being plastic they are easy to clean

on another forum i use a bloke used a cider barrel to make a house for some of his

as for drafts just make sure there are no big gaps around the perch or box area the house will need venterlation near the roof

the darker the nest box area the better i have found

also try not to use roof felt as red mite love it

red mite love nooks and crannys to live in and will come out on a night to feed on the birds the best time to see them is around dawn when they are crwling back to where they are hiding they can be seen easy as they are red in colour

so try not to use anything that has lots of lips on the edge of wood etc as they will live in there and a bonus if you dont use things like that is less drafts

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Interesting... we're getting our first chickens on Saturday, and we have built the hen house ourselves, but our nest box is not really a box just a wide shelf across the back of the hen house. I hope it will be ok. Maybe I should put dividers across it to make boxes.

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